Dont let my girl's death be in vain

The father of a teenage girl who died from carbon monoxide poisoning has backed an MP’s campaign to raise awareness of the ‘silent killer.’ David Worswick, from Glossop, attended a packed meeting on carbon monoxide deaths organised by MP Tom Levitt.

Mr Worswick’s 16-year-old daughter MaryAnn Bailey died six years ago following a gas leak from a badly maintained boiler at a pal’s house in Hadfield.

He said: "The main thing is to get this into the public domain. Carbon monoxide is odourless and tasteless so you don’t know if you are being poisoned or not. If the campaign saves one life, then it will have been worth it. Mr Levitt has done a lot to raise awareness and to get the message out there."

In the meeting at Glossop Labour Club, Mr Levitt called for more people to use audible carbon monoxide (CO) alarms.

He said: "Carbon monoxide is a deadly but hidden killer. It is clear that many people suffer from avoidable symptoms but only one home in five has a CO alarm. People like meter readers, gas fitters, paramedics, even handymen and housing officers should carry alarms which detect this poison."

Five people have died in High Peak in recent years from CO poisoning, making it one of the country’s worst hot spots.

Dr Chris Steele, from the This Morning TV show, was at the meeting. He said that a large proportion of medical problems caused by low levels of CO were never detected.

He noted that doctors and other medical staff were not trained to look for evidence of CO poisoning as the symptoms were often minor and common. People who feel unwell, irritable or nauseous at home but recover when out in the fresh air may well be suffering from low level CO poisoning.

The meeting was attended by a wide range of professionals. These included senior representatives of British Gas, the Gas Safe Register and manufacturers of alarms.

Local representatives attended from the NHS, High Peak Community Housing, Derbyshire Fire Service, the Ambulance Service, Gas Care of Glossop, the Handy Van service and Digital Outreach.

Cllrs Caitlin Bisknell, Anthony Mckeown and David Wilcox were also there.